Thin film aluminum-containing photovoltaics

Abstract

This invention relates to thin film photovoltaic materials containing aluminum, as well as methods for making materials using polymeric precursor compounds. This invention provides a range of compounds, polymeric compounds, compositions, materials and methods directed ultimately toward photovoltaic applications, devices and systems for energy conversion, and solar cells. This invention further relates to methods for making CA(I,G,A)S, CAIGAS, A(I,G,A)S, AIGAS, C(I,G,A)S, and CIGAS thin film materials by providing one or more polymeric precursor compounds or inks thereof, providing a substrate, depositing the compounds or inks onto the substrate; and heating the substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thin film material made by a process comprising,
 (a) providing one or more CA(I,G,A)S, CAIGAS, A(I,G,A)S, AIGAS, C(I,G,A)S, or CIGAS polymeric precursor compounds or inks thereof;   (b) providing a substrate;   (c) depositing the compounds or inks onto the substrate; and   (d) heating the substrate at a temperature of from about 100° C. to about 650° C. in an inert atmosphere, thereby producing a thin film material.   
     
     
         2 . The thin film material of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric precursor compounds have the empirical formula (M A1   1-x M A2   x ) u (M B1   1-y-t M B2   y M B3   t ) v ((S 1-z Se z )R) w , wherein M A1  is Cu, and M A2  is Ag, M B1  is In, M B2  is Ga, M B3  is Al, x is from 0 to 1, y is from 0 to 1 minus t, t is from 0.001 to 1, the sum of y plus t is from 0.001 to 1, z is from 0 to 1, u is from 0.5 to 1.5, v is from 0.5 to 1.5, w is from 2 to 6, and R represents R groups, of which there are w in number, and are independently selected from alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkenyl, amido, silyl, and inorganic and organic ligands. 
     
     
         3 . The thin film material of  claim 2 , wherein t is from 0.001 to 0.5. 
     
     
         4 . The thin film material of  claim 2 , wherein t is from 0.001 to 0.2. 
     
     
         5 . The thin film material of  claim 1 , wherein the thin film has a thickness of from 0.001 to 100 micrometers. 
     
     
         6 . The thin film material of  claim 1 , wherein the thin film has a thickness of from 0.1 to 10 micrometers. 
     
     
         7 . The thin film material of  claim 1 , wherein the thin film has a thickness of from 0.05 to 5 micrometers. 
     
     
         8 . The thin film material of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is heated in the presence of selenium vapor. 
     
     
         9 . The thin film material of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is heated at a temperature of from 300° C. to 650° C. 
     
     
         10 . The thin film material of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is heated at a temperature of from about 200° C. to about 400° C. 
     
     
         11 . The thin film material of  claim 1 , wherein the inks contain alkali in the form of NaIn(ER) 4 , NaGa(ER) 4 , LiIn(ER) 4 , LiGa(ER) 4 , KIn(ER) 4 , KGa(ER) 4 , or mixtures thereof, where E is S or Se and R is alkyl or aryl. 
     
     
         12 . The thin film material of  claim 1 , wherein the depositing is done by a method selected from spraying, spray coating, spray deposition, spray pyrolysis, printing, screen printing, inkjet printing, aerosol jet printing, ink printing, jet printing, stamp printing, transfer printing, pad printing, flexographic printing, gravure printing, contact printing, reverse printing, thermal printing, lithography, electrophotographic printing, electrodepositing, electroplating, electroless plating, bath deposition, coating, wet coating, spin coating, knife coating, roller coating, rod coating, slot die coating, meyerbar coating, lip direct coating, capillary coating, liquid deposition, solution deposition, layer-by-layer deposition, spin casting, solution casting, and combinations of any of the forgoing. 
     
     
         13 . The thin film material of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group of a semiconductor, a doped semiconductor, silicon, gallium arsenide, insulators, glass, molybdenum glass, silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, silicon nitride, a metal, a metal foil, molybdenum, aluminum, beryllium, cadmium, cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, gallium, gold, lead, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, palladium, platinum, rhenium, rhodium, silver, stainless steel, steel, iron, strontium, tin, titanium, tungsten, zinc, zirconium, a metal alloy, a metal silicide, a metal carbide, a polymer, a plastic, a conductive polymer, a copolymer, a polymer blend, a polyethylene terephthalate, a polycarbonate, a polyester, a polyester film, a mylar, a polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride, a polyethylene, a polyetherimide, a polyethersulfone, a polyetherketone, a polyimide, a polyvinylchloride, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene polymer, a silicone, an epoxy, paper, coated paper, and combinations of any of the forgoing. 
     
     
         14 . The thin film material of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a shaped substrate, a tube, a cylinder, a roller, a rod, a pin, a shaft, a plane, a plate, a blade, a vane, a curved surface or a spheroid. 
     
     
         15 . The thin film material of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a layer of a solar cell. 
     
     
         16 . The thin film material of  claim 1 , the process further comprising a step of exposing the substrate to selenium vapor, either before, during or after steps (c) or (d). 
     
     
         17 . A photovoltaic absorber made with the thin film material of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . A photovoltaic device comprising the thin film material of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . A system for providing electrical power comprising the photovoltaic device of  claim 18 . 
     
     
         20 . A method for providing electrical power comprising using the system of  claim 19  to convert light into electrical energy.